A YOUNG woman who fell from the roof of a nightclub is ‘in shock’ at news she might never walk again.

18-year-old Ciara O’Brien suffered spinal injuries when she fell from the balcony of a nightclub.

She was attending a beach party at Moorings Nightclub in Kinsale.

Medics who have been working on the teen fear she might not walk again due to the extent of her injuries.

Her aunt Maria O’Mahony told The Irish Sun that Ciara is still trying to process what has happened to her.

“She is just trying to come to terms with it all. It’s a total shock for Ciara and for everyone”, she said.

She was airlifted from Cork University Hospital to the Mater Spinal Injury Unit after the accident in Kinsale sometime after 2.30am on Saturday morning.

Gardai have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the fall. They have interviewed staff at the pub where a ‘Beach’ themed party had been held at the weekend.

“An 18-year-old girl fell from the flat roof of a licenced premises on Market Street,” a Garda Spokesman confirmed.

“She was taken to Cork University Hospital and was subsequently transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin. There is an ongoing investigation in the incident.”

Meanwhile, Declan Ryan of The Moorings told the Sunday World that he had met with the Gardai and that all the staff at the venue were ‘hoping and praying she will be OK.’

Ryan, who was once a director of Benners Hotel in Tralee, said he does not own The Moorings but was working at the club at the time of the accident.

“It was simply just a freak accident. I’m not the owner but I was working at the club. Ciara was meant to be working but she attended a staff party instead. I wasn’t socialising with them and I don’t drink. I am a pioneer,” he said.

“It was just an accident. She fell about 8 foot from the side of the building. It wasn’t in the club it was beside it.”

Mr Ryan said that he was liaising with Gardai and with owner Joe Kenny.